Meet Leeds nurse Sophie Sheard.
By day, she’s caring for critically unwell babies, children and young people. And when she’s off-duty, she’s gearing up for the 2024 London Marathon, all in the name of the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund!
Hiya Sophie! Can you tell us a bit more about your role at Leeds General Infirmary?
“I am a staff nurse, who now primarily works on L47 the Children’s critical care unit, but I did however used to work on L51 the cardiac ward prior to coming to PICU.
“My roles on a day-to-day basis involve; being a bedside nurse, caring for critically unwell babies, children and young people with a wide variety of conditions and illnesses, many of which have a congenital heart defect as we are the regional centre.
Sophie now works on PICU at least but used to be a nurse on the children’s heart ward.
“I provide constant monitoring and care to these patients, which may include administering medicines, managing complex medical equipment, monitoring vital signs but most important giving support to patients and their families.”
“Many children, young people and adults with congenital heart conditions may never be able to run long distances like a marathon so I am wanting to do it for them!”
What do you love most about working within the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit?
“I love meeting and caring for all the incredible children and families we see at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit. In such stressful and emotional periods in these families’ lives, it is an honour to be involved in their care, being able to look after their child, comfort and support them, but also keep their spirits up.
“Highlights include seeing them be discharged home after being so unwell or watching them from being a tiny newborn to then coming back when their older for other interventions, knowing you have been a part of their journey.
“Dealing with those tough moments is never easy, and there’s no way of knowing how you’re going to feel. For me running and exercise is a great way to process your day and de-stress. There are certain patients and their families who have had, and always will have, such an impact on me, that I will never forget.”
Have you ever done anything like running a marathon before?
“I actually only started my running journey back in the pandemic when I was living away from family and friends with no garden or windows in my flat – I needed a way of getting outside in between my shifts for my own mental and physical health.
“Since then I haven’t stopped running! I have never ran a marathon before, I had only ever ran up to a half marathon distance then last year my best friend completed the London marathon and I was like I want to do that!
“It was complete potluck I got a ballot place – I was shocked! I thought ‘I actually have to do this now!’.
“I couldn’t do something like this without raising money for this amazing charity. It gives me so much drive and support knowing I’m doing with all the CHSF patients in mind.”
Why did you decide to run the London Marathon for CHSF?
“As a child I was actually regularly reviewed under the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit myself, as my Dad has hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, a CHD. Obviously, at the time, I didn’t realise the important part CHSF may have played, like providing even the small amount of care we received as outpatients.
“Having previously raised money for CHSF when I did my half marathon back in 2021, I actually got to see the use of the money I fundraised, put into place when it funded a new home INR testing machine for patients to use which was amazing. When I got my place for London Marathon, CHSF sprung to my mind as another opportunity to fundraise for it.
“CHSF do an incredible job at supporting families both in and outside of the hospital, but also in providing the unit with essential equipment and facilities we need to do our jobs easily.
Sophie’s goddaughter was born with a congenital heart condition, Ebstein’s anomaly and will need open heart surgery at Leeds in the future.
“It was only confirmed to me how essential a charity like CHSF are to patients and families with heart conditions when my best friend from University had a baby (my beautiful goddaughter) back in October. She was born with Ebstein’s Anomaly, a congenital heart defect, and will need open heart surgery at some point in her lifetime.
“After seeing first hand the ups and downs of having a child with CHD, from the opposite perspective, it has made me appreciate the need more for charities like CHSF and the fabulous job they do.
“This only inspired me more to fundraise for CHSF, and my drive for the marathon. Training hasn’t been easy as the long hours, nights, weekends etc make the runs challenging at times when you’re completely broken and knackered. However, many children, young people and adults with congenital heart conditions may never be able to run long distances like a marathon so I am wanting to do it for them!”
Why should people should donate to Children’s Heart Surgery Fund?
“Donations are SO important to any charity, but I see first-hand how valued donations to Children’s Heart Surgery Fund are implemented.
“Not only to the hospital, staff and the facilities so we can provide optimal, first-class care for patients with the latest technology but the incredible support they give to families by providing them with accommodation nearby, food/drink vouchers, family support workers, social meet-ups and so much more.
“CHSF work so closely with ourselves at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit to provide our all our children, young people and families with the best possible care that they all deserve. All donations given are extremely appreciated and very well utilised.
“I’m running to raise donations for all those babies, children, teenagers and adults supported by CHSF and living with heart conditions, but also to all those angels we couldn’t save but who with the CHSF’s help made their families experience that little bit more bearable.”
We’re so grateful to Sophie for choosing to run the London Marathon for CHSF. We are behind her every step of the way and are all so very proud of her!
You can get behind her too by dropping a donation on her fundraising page. Donate here.
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